Fox Theatre Field Trip

Amber had a field trip today to the Fox Theatre. They got to here this man play this Wurlitzer Organ...one of only 2 still used in the U.S. He played "It's a Small World" which she said "Amy would have loved this. Also, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "America the Beautiful" which we call "Amber's song" because it has her name in it. She requested a pen so she could get his autograph. It was very cute and I could tell she was impressed.

We went on stage at the Fox Theatre! I tried telling the girls to take a bow, but they said "no thanks". That would have been very uncool, apparently.

We went backstage and saw all the graffiti walls and the dressing rooms. We went in the basement, under the stage and saw a lot more graffiti as well as tunnels that the actors/actresses use to get from one side of the stage to the other.

The tour took us to the very last row of the Fox Theatre and pointed out some of the very cool architecture and design.

Amber asked me tonight if I enjoyed the field trip. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and explained what a once in a lifetime opportunity it was to see everything that we did. Her response...well just sign up for a tour again.

Pen Pal Notebook

I saw the cutest Idea on Pinterest. A homeschooling mom uses this notebook as a way to work on writing skills with her kids. I thought it would be a great way to communicate with mine.

I hope they write back. I am only a little excited to leave these on their pillows tonight!

Locks of Love

One thing that I have always wanted to do (well, maybe the last 10 years or so, not always) is grow my hair out long enough to donate it to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a charity organization that makes wigs/hairpieces for children who do not have hair due to a chronic medical condition. Some have cancer, but not all. You can read more about Locks of Love here: http://www.locksoflove.org/

I have been growing my hair out for about 2 years now. It always seems to come to a stand still that I can't get over. But this time I powered though. I decided it was time.

I finally mailed my ponytailed pieces of hair off today. I am so proud of myself. I would definitely do it again.

P.S. If you get your haircut at Great Clips, they will cut your hair for free if you are donating.

Where were you when the world stopped turning...

...on that September day.

10 years. Wow, I cannot believe it has been 10 years. I was working at NIMA at the time. I was listening to my radio, and I kept thinking the disc jockeys were pulling a prank, and I thought it was pretty silly. After about 10 seconds, I realized it was not a joke and walked down stairs to the only tv in the building that streamed CNN all the time. I thought that it had to be an accident. No other thought even crossed my mind. I went back to my office to continue preparing for the day. I am wondering now, why I was at work so early. I didn't typically get there until 9:00. I don't remember how I learned that a second plane hit, or the pentagon. But I know that once I knew, I was scared. I was on a government base after all. I called my dad and asked him how they were going to evacuate all those people. I called Dave who was working in a building nearby and we agreed to meet for a walk. When I walked into the building where Dave worked, so many people were gathered arou d the little tv in the lobby. No one could believe what was happening. There was a rumor that a fourth plane was out there. We went outside, the thing I remember most is how beautiful it was outside. The FAA at this point had grounded all planes, and there was not a cloud in the sky, not a cloud or con trail in the sky, the sky was awesomely blue. I wasn't watching when either tower fell. I can recall being on lockdown. No one was allowed to leave. I remember seeing a guard walking outside with an automatic weapon. I was terrified. At some point, I am assuming once all the planes were accounted for, we were off lockdown. I knew I was not going to be able to work, so I went home. I was glued to the tv for days.

Reading Challenge

I love to read. It is such a part of my life that when people ask me about my hobbies, I never even mention reading. I will read anything and I get so sucked into what I am reading that I tune out everything around me.

I want this love of books to be passed on to the girls, so I encourage them to read. Amber's a good reader, started to read at about age 3 1/2, but can't be bothered with it when there are so many other things going on. Amy is reading at her grade/age level, but gets frustrated when she doesn't know a word. I am hoping that though encouragement and example that they learn to love to read as much as I do.

So here comes the reading challenge...I challenged them to a reading competition for one week. For every 10 minutes of reading each of us (including Dave and I) does, we get to put a sticker on a chart (that Amber made instead of reading). Amy gets stickers for reading on her own, or sitting and listening to someone read to her, whoever reading to her gets the sticker as well.

Our challenge ends on Friday at midnight, so I'll do my best to remember posting how many minutes we did total.

A Day in Amy's Brain

Have you ever wondered what goes on in your child's head? I am always wondering this about Amy. Take this conversation that we had in the car today, it is a completely typical conversation with her.

Amy: When we were still in school, my friend Carter took a vacation.
Me: he did? (Me thinking a weekend in Chicago)
Amy: He brought pictures to school to show us.
Me: what did he bring pictures of?
Amy: well I don't remember all of them, but one was a picture of a really big cactus.

WHAT? Why are there cacti in Illinois? Did she mean a different state? Or did she completely make this up?

Once again I am left dumbfounded by a conversation with her. Amy is probably the one person that can end a conversation with me not having a response.

Judging a Book By It's Cover

I realize I have not posted for a while.  Imagine that life keeps me busy and that I don't have time to sit down at the computer to type...dad's surgery, holidays, vacation, mom's surgery, sick kids...blah, blah, blah...

But today I have a nagging headache, and it's one of those days that I have got something on my mind that I can not seem to shake.  GOSSIP...RUMORS...PASSING JUDGEMENT

Should it really bother me that someone said something to someone else who then told someone else something about me...well not really something about me, but basically, that the original someone doesn't care for me?  The reasons that the person doesn't care for me don't even matter. I have probably spoken to the original person a total of 5 times in my life.  And never about myself...well I guess maybe it was...I always talk about my kids.

So, why do I feel like I need to defend myself in my head? Isn't that ridiculous that it should stick with me?  

I really don't care if people talk about me, actually I think it is kind of funny...I really lead a very boring life, I have a few friends, but I don't go partying and socializing non-stop.  It's just not me.  My life revolves around God, my kids and my husband.  Maybe it should revolve around keeping my house clean, that would probably make my husband happy. 

But in the mean time, if I meet someone I don't think I like, I think I will take the opportunity to get to know them a little better.  Usually, that is all it takes with me.